"Uh oh", the internet collectively sighed the morning, "she's done it again". Yes, reality television star, Kim
Kardashian, has once more incited the ire of her followers after posting some risqué snaps on her Snapchat and Instagram accounts. While the content of the polaroid snaps is rather explicit, showing the 37-year-old lounging in a white G-string and fur coat, that's not what people took offence with. Rather, it was the fact that she referred to her new hairstyle as "Bo Derek" braids, instead of Fulani braids or cornrows.
In short, the whole thing reeks of cultural appropriation.
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Kim took to Snapchat on Sunday evening to reveal her silver cornrows, which she referred to as "Bo Derek braids", in reference to the actress's hairstyle and role in the 1979 film, 10. She then posted a slew of racy pictures sporting the 'do on her Instagram account on Monday.
Many people were quick to call out the 37-year-old on her choice of words, as the hairstyle should be attributed to black culture, not Bo Derek - a white woman.
The people of Twitter didn't hold back from accusing Kim of cultural appropriation - a charge that she's been lambasted with on multiple occasions. One social media user wrote, "
Kim Kardashian said she got 'Bo Derek braids.' She is 100% out here trolling Black women. You can't convince me otherwise," while another adde, "Kim said she did 'bo Derek braids'...now go look them up and tell me if that white lady created that style smh".
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Some of Kim's fans, however, chose to leap to her defence. One Twitter user asserted, "Is it at least possible that she was simply copying Bo Derrick because she admired the woman. I'm willing to bet 'race' never crossed her mind. I just don't understand. Why get mad because race is a non-issue to her? I thought that was the goal, to be colourblind?"
And the social media star apparently doesn't see the issue with it either. She captioned one of the Instagram snaps of her on the phone (in what looks to be a dingy hotel room) with: "Hi, can I get zero f***s please, thanks."
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Even celebrities chimed in on the matter. Child star, Lindsay Lohan, appeared to get into a bit of a tiff with Kim after she commented on one of the images, saying "I am confused." Kim hit back, and made it personal by writing "You know what's confusing.....your sudden foreign accent". The 37-year-old was clearly referencing the amalgamation of accents that The Parent Trap actress has developed since relocating to Dubai.
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Well, hopefully this time Kim will realise that it's
not ok to blatantly appropriate other people's cultures and pass them off as your own. Sure, wear Fulani braids but don't attribute them, and all of the symbolic and historical significance behind them, to a white woman.
In other
Kardashian related news,
Kim has challenged Instagram's censorship policy with this topless photo.
